Improvement in coffins



UNITED STATES PATENT OEETcE.

JULIAN A. FOGG, OF STOCKPORT, COUNTY OF CHESTER, ENGLAND.

IMPROVEMENT IN COFFINS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 57,829, dated September 4, 1&l66.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, JULIAN A. Foce, of Stockport, in the county of Chester and Kingdom of England, have invented new and useful Improvements in Burial-Gaskets and Cofins; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and eXact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying-drawin gs,i`ormin g a part of this speciiication.

It is well known that Wooden coffins and burial-caskets, as at present constructed, are not durable, whether put into tombs or in the ground. In a comparatively short time they become disjointed and fall to pieces long before the wood composing them is decayed. This is greatly owing to the manner in which the wood of which they are composed is joined together, the common method being to glue and nail the parts together, and, inasmuch as cofns and burial-cases are deposited in very damp places, the glue is soon dissolved and the nails used soon rust away, causing the burialcase to fall into pieces. This often prevents the removal of a body unless considerable trouble is incurred. Often it becomes necessary to procure a new coffin or box, and place therein the fragments of the body.

`Tlie object of the principal feature of my invention is to overcome such difficulties.

My invention consists, first, in the employment of metallic corner-pieces, connections, or joints, to be used wherever the timbers of which the coflin is made are joined together; second, it consists in the arrangement of the plates on the coffin, the same being placed on the edge of the side or end of the coffin or against the edge, supported by a bracket, its location being such that, whether it be applied to a coffin or casket, it will be in plain sight, whether the coffin or casket be opened or closed; third, in the employment of a metallic rim or finishing-band around the inside of the opening in the coffin or burial-case, designed for permitting a view of the face, for binding down and giving a neat nish to the edges of the cloth on the` inside of the coffin or casket lid 5 fourth, in the employment of a metallic sash for holding and enabling the glass to be speedily set in the aperture made in the lid of the coffin or casket.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of a burial-casket. Fig. 2 is a top view. Fig. 3 is a bottom View of one corner. Fig. 4 is a section through the glass in the lid ofthe coffin, showing the manner of setting the same and the manner of holding and securing' the lining of the inside of the lid around this opening. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of my metallic corner-pieces. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a coffin, showing my invention applied thereto. Fig. 7 is a bottom view of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

A A designate, respectively, the body of the coffin and casket, and B B the lids, respectively, thereof', both of the ordinary or any proper construction.

The rst part of my invention consists in the employment of" metallic corner-pieces, joints,

or connections.

' C designates the corner-pieces, connections, or joints. These consist of castings, in the form of two leaves or wings joined together at one side, and set at an angle relatively with each other, according to the places upon the coffin or casket where they are to be used.

(See Figs. 3, 5, 6, and 7.)

In the edges of theleaves grooves ay a are cut, deep enough to allow a tenon on the end of the timber to beinserted far enough to hold it firmly.l

A tongue or strip, b, is secured in the inside of one side of each groove a, which tongue fits into a groove made in the timber which enters the groove a, and prevents the same from coming out.

From the peculiar construction of the joints C they hold the parts securely together without the aid of glue, and the effect of the dampness or moisture is to give greatly increased strength by causing the wood to swell, rendering the separation of the parts impossible without violence.

The bottom of each corner-piece or joint may extend slightly inward under the bottom of the casket, so as to hold the said bottom more securelyin its place, as shown at 7L, Figs. 3, 5, and 7.

These corner-pieces,connections, or joints may be made as ornamental as desired, and they will greatly add to the appearance of the coffin.

A coffin or burial-case can be constructed with the metal joints B in a short time, and of an elaborate design-one that would require so much time to carve in wood as to render expense,imitations of elaborately-carved designs that will be infinitely ornamental, and at the same time useful for giving strengthta. the coffin or burial-case.

Figs. 6 and 7 show that my invention can be applied for joining a coffin or burial-case elsewhere than the four corners.

This joint or connection renders it easy to give any design, shape, or curve to a coffin or burial-case. It dispenses with the necessity of sawing numerous cuts in the wood to allow of' its being bent to the desired curve. These cuts are often sawed to within an eighth of an inch through thc board, which necessarily very materially weakens the coffin. It is obvious that my metallic joints or connections obviate this evil.

The second part of my invention relates to the arrangement of the plates of the `coffin or casket, so that the same will be fully displayed when the lid is open or closed.

D designates the plate, and this is secured to the upper edge of the one side or end wall of the coffin, it being mounted on a block, which will bring it either flush with the top of the lid or a little below it, in which latter case -it would not be likely to get scratched or rubbed when several caskets or coffins are placed one upon another, as is often done in receiving-tombs to economize in room.

A piece of the lid is cut away in the present instance to make it correspond to the shape ofthe plate; but the plate, instead of resting upon the top edge of' either a side or end wall of the coffin, may rest upon a bracket secured to the side or end of the coffin, or to a, folding shelf, which might be raised like a table-leaf when the body is on exhibition, and folded down when put away in the tomb.

This arrangement of the plate displays the same in the best possible manner for enabling persons to read the inscription thereon, because it stands out clearly. It is not placed in a recess and overshadowed by any part of the lid when the hurialcase is open.

Plates, as now applied to burial-cases, are either placed on the under side of the lid, so

- the same will be displayed when the lid is open, or on the outside, so as to be displayed when the lid is closed, and in neither of these positions can it be seen when the lid is in a reverse position; but with a plate arranged as I propose this is entirely overcome, as the plate can be seen whether the casket or coffin lid be opened or closed.

The third part of my invention relates to the manner of' securing the lining of the lid around the opening made for exhibiting the face of the body.

A metallic ring, E, (refer to Fig. 4,) is employed, which has a ange around one of its edges. An opening in the cloth to correspond with the opening in the lid having been made, the ring E is thrust up into the opening, as shown in Fig. 4, and the flange caused to press against the under face of the lid and upon the edges of the opening in the lining. This ring is to be tacked to the lid, and the lining is thus secured by tacking a piece of braid over the cut edges of' the opening to cover the frayed edges ofthe cloth.

This operation occupies considerable time, and has not the neat finish which my invention gives to the upholstery part of the coffin.

The fourth part of my invention consists in the manner ot' securing the glass in the opening made for permitting a view of the face of the corpse when the lid is closed.

The glass is set in a metallic frame, d, (see Fig. 4,) which in crosssection resembles the letter Z. The glass rests on the foot of the Z, the leg being inserted into the opening, and the top of the Z resting upon the top of the lid, as shown clearly in Fig. 4. On top of this there is placed a ring, c, which is secured to the top of the coffin, so as to prevent the glass from coming out in an upward direction. These sashes b c, with the glasses, can be readily set into a lid of any thickness after the coffin or case is entirely finished and var- 1 nished, without the aid of putty or cement; and if a glass should be accidentally broken it can be quickly removed and a new one inserted in its place.

lt will be noticed that the glass is sunk below the level of the upper surface of the lid of the coffin or burial-case, so that if one coffin or burial-case be piled upon another little injury can be done to the glass.

It is obvious that as the parts of the sash are stamped or struck up in dies they are susceptible. especially the ring, of' being made very ornamental, so as to add greatly to the costly appearance of the coffin or burialcase.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In the construction of cofi-ns and burialcases, the employment of the metallic cornerpieces, joints, or connections C, as described,

wh erebygreat durability and strength are given.

to the coffins or burial-caskets, and a provision for an elaborate ornamentation ofthe same at little expense, substantially as specified.

2. As an improvement in coffins and burialcases, the arrangement of the plate upon an edge of one of the sides or ends of the coffin, or on a bracket or shelf secured thereto in such manner that the plate will be visible, whether the lid be open or closed, substantially as specified.

JULIAN A. FOGG.

Witnesses ARTHUR G. HALL, CHARLES DERBY. 

